Charleston, SC

There’s a shameful lack of quality filipino food in Charleston. But luckily, this month’s Featured Foodie, Jakie Blunt AKA the Lumpia Dad, wants to change that, one batch of lumpia at a time.

Photo: provided

I got to sample some of his homemade lumpia (made from a generation’s-old family recipe, and let me tell you: this stuff is delicious!

Festive plates not included.

When you contact Jakie, he gives you a whole batch (your choice of pork or beef), which he delivers frozen. You then take them home and cook them yourself in a little oil. It’s very easy and they make a great appetizer or snack! Jakie recommends you serve them with Mae Ploy Sweet Chili sauce (I didn’t have any of that, so I used some pepper jelly I had in the cupboard and it was also delicious).

Easy peasy!

In his own words:

“The lumpia recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. For me (and I imagine many other Filipinos) Lumpia isn’t just an awesome snack; it’s a way of life. My mom had 9 brothers and sisters so growing up in that kind of environment, there were a lot of cookouts. I can still remember gigantic bowls with Lumpia filling and family members of all ages sitting around the table rolling Lumpia and having a good time. I identified early on that Lumpia meant community. It meant bonding with your elders, getting and giving life advice, and hearing all of the latest gossip.

Provided

My mom shared the recipe with me when I was in my early 20s. With a family of my own, I took great pleasure in bonding with my daughter and wife, teaching them the techniques my mom taught me. When we moved to South Carolina I noticed that the availability of Filipino food was scarce and I couldn’t live without my Lumpia. So I decided to bring the spirit of community and bonding through Lumpia to the lowcountry!”

CO launched a new Asian inspired drink, CO Boba Tea last week. Originating in Taiwan, boba tea was created as a fun alternative for tea drinkers containing: a tea-base with fruit or milk added, and chewy tapioca pearls or fruit jellies.

On Thursday, July 7, Crust Wood Fired Pizza opened its second location at 1097 N. Main Street in Summerville. Chef John Roskowski helms the kitchen as executive chef, with Chef Dusty Chorvat of Crust’s James Island location overseeing the menu. The new location will bring the same focus on fresh, seasonal preparations of wood fired pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, salads and handcrafted desserts that diners have come to expect from Crust.

In the 2,700-square-foot space, the Summerville location will offer dining room, chef’s counter and bar seating, as well as 22 seats on an outdoor, screened-in patio with access to the bar. The beverage program will consist of draft and bottled beer, wine by the glass and bottle, house made cocktails and a variety of soft drinks.

While diners will recognize many familiar dishes from the James Island location, there will also be a few additions unique to the Summerville menu, including pizza by the slice and the “County Line” burger. Crust’s pizza by the slice will be available individually and as part of a lunch special, which includes a small salad, drink and your choice of cheese or margherita slice for $9. Diners can add vegetables to their slice for $0.50 or meats for $1. The burger will available at lunch and dinner service, priced at $9 for a single patty and $11 for a double patty, and will be served with a side of handcut fries.

“We’re excited to bring Crust’s fresh, seasonal approach to wood fired pizzas and pastas to Summerville,” says owner Steve Watkins, “and look forward to becoming part of the community here.”

The Summerville location will be open daily for lunch and dinner service. Operating hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The restaurant can be reached by calling 843.285.9157, and takeout orders can be placed by calling the same line.

Every Sunday from 11am to 3pm, guests can indulge in some seriously delicious brunch eats while jamming out to tunes in the gorgeous courtyard at Cannon Green. “Beats + Brunch” combines executive chef, Amalia Scatena’s lowcountry cuisine with the musical stylings of DJ NattyHeavy.

Popular dishes include Amalia’s fried chicken sandwich on brioche with housemade pickles and locally-sourced blackened shrimp and grits, finished off with a chimichurri sauce. For this Sunday Funday destination, reservations have become a must and it wouldn’t be a party without DJ NattyHeavy live spinning his “Miami Mimosa” music from the balcony.

If your only interaction with Wasabi was the former CofC hotspot on Market Street, then you haven’t really tried Wasabi. When someone first suggested dining at Wasabi in Mount Pleasant, I was a little hesitant, remembering back to my college days where the only real appeal was cheap drinks and half off rolls. The sushi at Wasabi downtown was nothing to write home about, but the experience I had at Wasabi Mount Pleasant–which is owned and operated by a different guy than the one downtown–quite literally changed the way I think about sushi. If I’m feeling melodramatic, I might even say it changed my life.

It’s quite a trek out to Mount Pleasant, but trust me, it’s completely worth it. I sat at the sushi counter (if you’ve never eaten sushi at a sushi counter, you need to change the way you’re living your life), and was feeling extra hungry and adventurous and decided to go with the Omakase selection, aka the Chef’s Choice (price varies from $20 – $35). Chef Johnny Chan, who was trained on the art of sushi in Japan, was working the sushi counter, so I knew I was in for a real treat. Watching him slice the cucumber with the precision of a surgeon was enchanting to watch, especially knowing that if I tried to replicate his technique at home, I’d end up needing stitches.

After I ordered my drink (sake, because duh), I was handed a warm, wet towel with which to wipe my hands. Traditional Japanese sushi eating technique is to use your hands, rather than chopsticks, so this helps clean your mitts before you start manhandling all the delicious fish coming your way.

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My first course was more of an amuse bouche, using the thinly sliced cucumber as a wrapper, with fresh snow crab legs and daikon sprouts with a rice vinegar sauce. If you are used to fake crab in your sushi, the flavor of real crab will blow your mind. It’s so much richer and more flavorful, and the texture is much more appealing. I also loved how beautiful this dish was. Chef Chan commented “Japanese and French cooking are very similar in that they both focus on presentation first.” One glance at this plate and you’ll know exactly what he means.

Next, Chef started preparing a plate of mixed Sashimi, which I usually tend to shy away from because I am lame. There’s really no excuse other than that I am one of those lame-o’s who’ve only ever really been exposed to Americanized sushi. Chef explained that when you go to Japan and order sushi, what you’ll be served is sashimi (sliced fish) or nigiri (sliced fish over molded rice), and that the rolls we know and love here are really not as popular. I watch, mesmerized, as Chef pulled out a little fire gun to char one of the fish he served me. Each fish got its own presentation and flavor accoutrements and were like little works of art.

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First, hamachi (Yellowtail) with a slice of serrano pepper.

Hamachi

Then marinated salmon with fresh salmon roe.

Then Saba (Japanese mackerel) with a slice of lemon and pickled ginger

Followed by Bluefin tuna (imported from Japan) with soy sauce and pickled wasabi.

Finally, there was kanpachi (young yellowtail) with citrus sauce, flying fish eggs, green tea sea salt, and truffle oil. I think this is truly what it feels like to be royalty. Although they were all amazing and rich and full of depth, my favorite was the kanpachi, AKA young yellowtail, as it was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. It was creamy and buttery and practically melted in my mouth. The hint of truffle oil was just enough to complement the natural flavor of the fish, without going overboard. I was in heaven.

To complement the sushi, Chef also ground up some fresh wasabi root (which looks like it came from outer space). I’m not a fan of wasabi that typically comes with sushi. Chef informed me that this wasabi is usually made from a powder, with lots of flavorings, and that true wasabi doesn’t taste like that at all. And he was right! Yes, it does have a bit of that clear-your-sinuses feeling we all associate with the green condiment, but this wasabi was oaky and nutty, and it doesn’t linger. Now I’m a fan.

Since I’d never had uni (sea urchin) before, Chef suggested I give it a try. It was imported from Santa Barbara (Chef Chan says that the best Uni comes from Santa Barbara) and he was so excited that I was willing to try it. I went in very afraid, but his enthusiasm was intoxicating (or maybe it was the sake)… either way, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very unique flavor; it’s sweet and creamy and salty all at the same time. I have to say…it’s definitely an acquired taste, though. The texture is not my favorite. It’s not quite a liquid, not quite a solid. It was very perplexing. I suggest you give it a try to understand it for yourself.

Chef had me try it again mixed with tuna and truffle soy sauce and a gold flake on a nori chip, “like a taco!” he said enthusiastically, and I was a much bigger fan of this presentation. The crunchiness of the nori chip softened the strange texture of the uni.

One of the things that really impressed me about Wasabi was the sushi rice. I’ve been to some places where the sushi rice is so dry that it sucks all the liquid out of your mouth, and you have to completely soak your sushi in soy sauce in order to palate it. Wasabi is not like that. Chef informed me that sushi rice is meant to be eaten at the same temperature as the interior of your mouth, so they keep it warm until it’s ready to be served. They also put a lot of work into flavoring the rice itself, since it is the base of pretty much every piece of sushi they serve, which I really appreciate. Chef demonstrated the importance of sushi rice by serving me a few pieces of nigiri, which I was really excited about because that meant I got to eat with my hands. First, madai, aka Japanese snapper.

Next, chef got out the blowtorch again to sear a scallop (hotategai) for scallop nigiri. Scallops aren’t always my favorite, but these Japanese scallops were amazing. Plus, I like it when they’re a little more on the raw side, and the char from the blowtorch gave it a nice smokiness.

Perhaps one of my favorite things Chef made for me, was the salmon belly. It was sinfully rich and flavorful. I wanted to cry when I was eating it, it was so good. It doesn’t have that typical salmon flavor, it was something else entirely. I’m getting wistful just thinking about it.

Salmon Belly Nigiri. My new favorite thing!

The kanpachi, aka young yellowtail, was equally delicious over rice, and still rich and flavorful, just not as flavorful as the salmon belly.

Since he knew my obsession with tuna, he also threw in a piece of bluefin tuna nigiri. Blue fin tuna is a classic. You can’t go wrong.

To continue my tuna education, Chef excitedly prepared two versions of the same piece of fish, Toro, the belly of the bluefin tuna. The first was prepared normally, with just a little soy sauce, which just melted in your mouth. It was fantastic.

The second, however, was served with black charcoal soy sauce and chef seared the fish with the blowtorch. There was a little more bitterness from the charcoal, but it paired extremely well with the smoky flavor left from the fire gun. Even though it was cooked a bit more, it was still very tender and delicious.

To give me a taste of what Wasabi has to offer outside of the sushi realm, Chef prepared his Seabass Saikyoyaki, a roasted Chilean Seabass, marinated in a sweet miso sauce, accompanied by grilled veggies ($28). The fish was cooked perfectly, and the miso sauce was very unique.

My final course was a brand new American-style sushi roll that Chef wanted me to try, since he knows I love sushi rolls (so for those of you not brave enough to try nigiri, this might be more your style). It was a tempura lobster roll with snow crab, pineapple, and asparagus inside. The whole roll was then tempura fried and served over a bowl of red curry sauce. I’m pretty sure they tapped into my brain to create this roll because it was basically all of my favorite things. It was bursting with flavor, and the hint of pineapple made it taste just like summertime. It didn’t have a name as of my visit, but I really hope they named it The Queen roll in honor of me and my giant ego. Time will tell.

If you haven’t been to Wasabi Mount Pleasant or Wasabi Daniel Island (both of which are owned and operated by Chef Chan and his awesome staff), you’re really missing out. Get out there and eat some sushi!

*Note: This is not the typical amount of food you receive when ordering omakase. I received a lot more variety for review purposes*

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to try the new spring menu at the Grand Bohemian’s restaurant Élevé. The evening started with some of their new cocktails in the art gallery that featured both local and international art. The Bohemian Bramble cocktail, made with Old Tom Gin, House Made Limoncello, and Creme de Cassis was tart and refreshing and would be perfect for sipping on a hot summer night.

Don’t mind if I do.

After viewing the beautiful art, we headed into the wine blending room to have the sommelier explain what they do. Even before hearing that the wine blending room in a hotel is the first in the world, I was hooked and definitely want to attend a wine blending evening. After you create your own perfect blend, they’ll cork it and put your label on it.

We went upstairs to look at one of the hotel rooms that overlooks the art garden before heading to dinner upstairs on a private terrace with a view overlooking the rooftops of downtown. The rooms were surprisingly art-deco and very different from your standard hotel rooms. We’re talking velvet headboards, cool lamps, and lots of art.

I want that pillow in my house.

Before the food started to appear, Chef Rayley came to introduce himself and explain the dishes and what he did to create the magic behind each dish.

Glass of wine with dinner. A preview of the full menu for the night.

We started with an amuse bouche (fancy word for “little hors d’oeuvre”) of strawberry soup. It was made with SC buttermilk, sunflower, cucumber, cilantro, and sorrel and paired with a brut prosecco. I’ve never had a strawberry soup before, but this was a great way to start the dinner. The creamy buttermilk helped to cut the acidity of the strawberry and cucumber and the bubbles from the prosecco helped tie the whole dish together.

I feel like a 10 year old, but “amuse bouche” makes me giggle a little.

Our 1st course was an heirloom tomato salad with yellow beet vinaigrette, spring onions, and frico, and paired with a Sancerre white wine. If you know me, you know I don’t like tomatoes. But these were not your average tomatoes. They were crisp and juicy and had a very different flavor than your average tom. The aged Parmesan added texture and crunchiness to the dish.

This dish made me wish I liked tomatoes.

Our 2nd course was a roasted Carolina Sheepshead with leeks, wild SC shrimp, and shellfish bourride paired with a Pouilly-Fuissé white wine. The Sheepshead was so light and flaky and didn’t have a super fishy flavor, it resembled more of shellfish.

FYI sheepshead is a fish and not actually the head of a sheep.

The 3rd course was a 130-degree eye of beef rib, served with Bates Farm asparagus, Palmetto sweet potato, and poached baby root vegetables, served with a Cuvee Raphael red wine. The beef was tender, juicy and seared perfectly with a slight crispiness along the outside. Paired with the perfectly cooked vegetables and the red wine, it was a great dish.

Beef Ribs > Pork Ribs

Our dessert course was a Jersey Milk & raw honey panna cotta with SC strawberries and Anson Mills oats. It was served with a moscato d’asti and I ate the entire thing. Almost licked the glass. The panna cotta was creamy and melted in your mouth. The oats and strawberries added a nice sweetness and crunchiness to the dish and the bubbles paired great with it.

It’s in a glass, so I can just sip it, right?

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the entire evening. Each dish had something unique about it and was light and refreshing, which is perfect for this spring. The wine pairing for each dish went perfectly and helped highlight the flavors of the food. I love Élevé’s effort to use fresh, local foods in their dishes. It really makes a difference in not only the taste of the dish, but it also helps the community grow.

Plus, there’s lots of fun artwork to see inside!

I would recommend going to The Grand Bohemian to take a look around if you haven’t yet. The décor is very colorful and fun for a hotel, which surprised me. I would also recommend eating at the restaurant or if you aren’t interested in a full meal, they’re having a weekly series of cocktails on the balcony on Fridays. I can’t wait to go back and participate in the events!

Classic Sports Pub Meeting at Market Set to Open June 2016, offering 20 beers on tap, multiple televisions and crave worthy pub grub.

The Market area in downtown Charleston, SC is about to gain a new sports pub, Meeting at Market. Located at 120 Meeting Street, the warm, welcoming spot will boast a generous bar perfect for sampling dozens of craft beers and cocktails. Hungry guests will not be disappointed with a casual menu of crave worthy appetizers and entrées.

The space will feature masculine touches like warm, wood finishes and high-tech media elements. A custom-made black steel keg wall will feature 20 taps with an impressive selection of international and craft beers. Deep leather banquettes will line the windows and high top rustic wood tables will fill the space creating a social atmosphere. Meeting at Market will have capacity for 90 guests.

Downtown visitors and locals alike can catch all major sporting events on one of eight 75-inch flat screen, high definition televisions lining the walls. There will also be eight 55-inch TV screens secured to two, mid-ceiling cylinder fixtures – affording a ringside seat from any spot in the pub.

Patrons can enter the pub from the main entrance on Meeting Street at the corner of Market.

Meeting at Market will “tee off” this summer, and will be open seven days a week ­– Monday to Friday beginning at 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. Extended hours during major sporting events.

Cypress is excited to launch a new bar menu from James Beard Award nominated chef Craig Deihl. Offering guests an innovative take on traditional bar fare, Cypress’ latest selections include something for all palates. New items include Fried Apalachicola Oysters, Chicken Fried Steak, Smoked Chicken with Alabama white sauce, and the Big Dog—Chef Deihl’s creative take on a hot dog.

For those looking for an after-work snack, the bar at the East Bay Street restaurant— which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary—also showcases a selection of specialty offerings Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. With items such as Charcuterie & Wine (chef’s selection of cooked, cured and smoked meats with a choice of select wines – $35) and a Shellfish Platter and Wine (raw oysters, cocktail shrimp, tuna tonnato and ceviche with a choice of select wines – $45), 5p.m. never sounded so good!

Perfect for stopping in for a snack or a casual dinner, other exciting bar menu options include:

Mercantile and Mash, a gourmet food emporium located on East Bay Street, welcomes Baltimore native, Charles Talucci, as executive pastry chef. With more than 12 years in the baking industry, Talucci brings extensive experience and an impressive skillset to the culinary and catering programs at Cigar Factory.

Prior to moving to Charleston, Talucci was the executive pastry chef at Woodholme Country Club in Pikesville, M.D., where he managed the production of all desserts, pastries, candies, cakes and breads for five years. He also served as pastry chef at Patisserie Poupon in Baltimore M.D., during his career. Inspired by his father, an acclaimed chef and personal mentor, Talucci initially began his pastry career at Baltimore International Culinary College where he pursued a degree in baking and pastries in 2006.

Photo by Andrew Cebulka

“It’s no secret that I have a serious sweet tooth, so needless to say I am excited about Talucci’s arrival to the team,” said Steve Palmer, managing partner at The Indigo Road Restaurant Group. “Talucci is extremely talented, and his past culinary experience will give Mercantile and Mash many new capabilities in baking and pastry.”

In his new role at Mercantile and Mash, Talucci will oversee the pastry production with creative freedom to introduce his concept to the menu. Talucci will also cater for events hosted at The Cedar Room, as well as contribute to the pastry programs at Indigo Road’s Charleston restaurants.

Southern Season announced that it is expanding in the Charleston market with a new smaller-format Taste of Southern Season store. The 2,000-square-foot shop is planned to open in late May at 139 Market Street. It will be managed through the existing full-service store in Mount Pleasant.

“The downtown Charleston store will allow us to make shopping even more convenient for our customers,” says CEO Clay Hamner, who last month announced that a Taste of Southern Season store will open in July in Asheville, North Carolina’s Biltmore Village. “Charleston has demonstrated tremendous support for our brand, and we are excited to bring our new concept to King Street.”

The store will be modeled on the successful debut Taste store, which opened May 23, 2015, in Raleigh, North Carolina’s Cameron Village. By eliminating excess space and focusing on the most popular local and regional products, it quickly achieved success in a highly competitive area. The Charleston store will focus on best-selling items from the Mount Pleasant store, such as Lowcountry specialties, premium grocery (including coffee, candy, wine and beer), house & home, and gift items. Catering and other services from Mount Pleasant will be available.

Taste stores will vary from around 2,000 to 7,000 square feet, depending on location. Additional Taste stores are set to open before Christmas 2016 in Wilmington and Southern Pines, North Carolina; Charlottesville, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia; and Birmingham, Alabama.

Southern Season President Dave Herman says the company intends to build 30 Taste stores over the next three years. “I have never seen a retail concept with more potential or customer acceptance,” says Herman, who has more than 30 years experience with premium retail brands. “We will feature more local and regional products alongside the best international culinary options. And we’ll do this with the passion and service customers demand and expect from Southern Season.”

Southern Season’s full-service Buckhead store will open in September in Atlanta. The 25,000 square foot store will feature an open concept dining area, offering both casual and premium options, as well as a cooking school. In North Carolina, the Raleigh store will expand to a full-service model in 2017, with another large store to follow in Charlotte in 2018.

Enhancing the success of all brick-and-mortar sites is a significant investment this year to build an online digital store to allow customers to select from more than 80,000 items by phone or tablet. “We expect that our new digital store will be live by early fall, bringing the excitement of our offerings to new markets,” says CFO Brian Fauver. “This robust system also will benefit shoppers at physical stores, enabling them to order products not found on shelves for prompt home delivery.”